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2004
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Research: Science and Education
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Chemical Education Research
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Testing Students' Use of the Particulate Theory
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Vickie Williamson, Jason Huffman, and Larry Peck
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77823-3255
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June 2004
Vol. 81 No. 6
p. 891
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| Abstract |
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The goal of this study was to investigate the nature of questions that elicit responses in particulate terms. Four additional questions were developed with a gradation of scientific content between the everyday and scientific questions used by Haidar and Abraham in their Physical Changes Concepts Test (PCCT). The concepts tested were dissolution, insolubility, saturation, diffusion, states of matter, and effusion. Each of the approximately 1066 freshman chemistry students was administered a test form via the Internet, which progressed from everyday to scientific content and randomly covered all six concepts. No strong correlations were found between the students' logical reasoning ability and their use of particulate terminology. None of the concepts in this study showed a high percentage of completely correct responses using the particulate theory. However, the study did find that students are immediately cued by the words in the questions, whether in everyday or scientific terms. The findings indicate that instructors only have to ask about everyday phenomena using the terms "atoms" or "molecules" to procure significantly different responses in particulate terms and to get the highest percentage of scientifically correct responses; the question need not be as elaborate, scientific, or abstract as the scientific questions of the PCCT.
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| Supplement |
The correct responses to the six concept questions validated by Haidar and Abraham, detailed discussion of the responses by the students to the concept questions, and the six questions for each concept are available.
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 Contents |
Folder JCE2004p0891W containing JCE2004p0891W.doc and appendix.doc (Microsoft Word)
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| More Information |
Citation |
Williamson, Vickie; Huffman, Jason; Peck, Larry. J. Chem. Educ. 2004 81 891.
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Keywords |
CER Particulate Nature of Matter; Chemical Education Research; General Chemistry; Internet; Testing / Assessment
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History |
Created:
Last Updated: |
May 2, 2004
January 21, 2005
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| Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues >
2004
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June
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891
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